Nitration product of a hydroxy amide



Patented Sept. 21, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT @EHCE NITRATIQN PRODUCT OFA HYDROXY AMIDE No Drawing. Application February 20, 1948, Serial No.9,959

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a new composition of matter and moreparticularly to a new chemical compound having properties such as toadapt it for use as a commercial explosive.

This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, U. S. SerialNo. 424,903, filed December 30, 1941, now U, S. Patent 2,443,903.

A great many materials and compounds have be n proposed for use asexplosive charges in detonators or blasting caps. Such compounds mayfunction as base charges, primary charges, or ignition materials. Whilesatisfactory results have been obtained in many respects with thecompositions of the prior art, no material or combination of materialshas been altogether free from disadvantages.

An object of the present invention is the preparation of a newcomposition of matter. A further object is a new composition of mattercomprising the nitration product of an amide of a hydroxy aliphaticacid. A still further opject is a new explosive composition of desirableproperties. A further object is a stable explosive composition ofrelatively high strength. Additional Objects will be disclosed as theinvention is described more at length hereinafter.

I have found that the foregoing objects are attained by treatment withnitric acid of N- methyl hydroxyacetamide. In this nitration treatment,the addition of nitrogen results from the formation of a nitro group anda nitrate group. The following example will show a specific embodimentof the invention.

Example Fifty grams of N -methy1 hydroxyacetamide was added gradually to150 cc. of 98.5% HNOs at a temperature below 0 C. Stirring was continuedwhile 150 g. of 96% sulfuric acid was added gradually at such a ratethat the temperature did not exceed 59 C. The nitration mixture was thenwarmed. At C, an active evolution of gas took place. The mixture wascooled and poured into ice water. The creamy whit solid separated in theform of small fiat rectangular prisms. These were washed with water andpurified by gradual dilution of their acetone solution. The material hada melting point of 79-81" C. and showed a nitrogen content of 15.52%when this latter was determined on the nitrometer as against a.calculated value for such nitrogen of 15.63% for N-nitro-N-methylhydroxy acetamide nitrate.

In the foregoing example, nitration has been carried out by means of asulfuric-nitric mixed acid. In some cases, I may prefer to eifectnitration by use of nitric acid and acetic anhydri-de.

Having described the invention in the preceding, I intend to be limitedonly by the following claim:

As a new chemical compound, N-nitro-N- methyl hydroxyacetamide nitrate.

WILLIAM FREDERICK FILBER'I'.

